The 21st Century Computing
Revolution
The
industrial revolution of the late 18th, and early 19th
century, marked a major turning point in history. From the large scale
production of chemicals, to steam-powered transportation, to the development of
machine tools. Breakthrough inventions were to have a significant knock-on
effect, a key enabler and door opener for new innovations that would otherwise
have been impossible. Almost every aspect of daily life was influenced in some
way.
Fast
forward to the current day and we are living and breathing a new revolution –
the computing revolution. Yet the computing revolution remains very much a work
in progress. Whilst computers and the internet have revolutionised the way we
work, communicate and collaborate, the best, or worst (depending on your
viewpoint), is yet to come.
The Changing Face of Computing – Get Set For
A Major Upgrade
Cloud
computing, social media and mobile devices are certainly leading the way when
we look to the devices and platforms that will enable ubiquitous computing. But
it will take an entirely new set of technologies that will truly change the
face of computing, powering mankind to the next level of civilisation in the
process.
These
technologies originate from the very heart of human consciousness – the way in
which we see, understand and act. The ways in which make us uniquely human. Yet
incredibly, we are rapidly making strides to reverse engineer these
capabilities for computer consumption, ultimately blurring our own vision of
reality. Welcome to the world of Computing 2.0, a world of interactive,
immersive and intelligent computing.
In
today’s Computing 1.0 ecosystem human-computer dialogue is a one-way ticket consisting
of multiple “on-off” interactions which lack real-time capabilities. You cannot
converse with computers in two-way, human-like fashion. You are not eternally
plugged-in to a computer-driven environment. You do not receive instantaneous
responses to all manner of things. And you simply power-down once finished.
In
stark contrast, the emerging Computing 2.0 landscape will give rise to an
always-on society living in a permanent mixed-world state – the real world
augmented with information, optical illusions and the wildest imaginations of
your choice. Computer-driven interactions will be weaved into everyday life,
increasingly operating 24/7, with zero down-time. The level of human-computer
interaction will increase to unprecedented intelligent levels – a psychological
dilemma in waiting – questions arising as to who and what we are actually conversing
with. Human being or virtual agent? What is real and what is not?
We
will increasingly interact and converse with language-savvy computers as
machines become man’s best friend. Looking for advice? Have a burning question?
No problem. Ask away.
The
gap between humans and machines will become increasingly blurred as we migrate
towards a permanently-connected computing world, powered by intelligent two-way
human-computer dialogue. Wearable computing devices will become the norm as we
create a perpetual, superimposed, artificial society. What will start out as a pair of protruding
glasses will quickly retreat to less-than-obvious contact lenses, eventually
disappearing entirely, as microscopic devices become the computing platform of
choice.
Version Change… And A New Era For Mankind
Computing
2.0 will represent a seismic shift in the way in which we consume IT, as we
become increasingly reliant, increasingly engaged, and increasingly entangled
in technology. Such a dependence will be driven by a series of game-changing
technologies gathering pace on the horizon – not yet here, but well on their
way.
Collectively,
this set of technologies is poised to disrupt not only the IT and
communications industry, but moreover, change the game for civilisation as we
know it. And as this new era of civilisation emerges, any type of virtual
reality experience will become possible, often indistinguishable from the real
thing.
Rise Of The Robot
So,
where are we headed? Well, the emerging Computing 2.0 landscape will pave the
way for the rise of the robot, the ultimate prize. The infrastructure, the
hardware, the software, the algorithms – each component combining and integrating
to create human-like features as machines learn language, develop sight, adopt
hearing and embrace a sense of touch. When Robotics finally announces its
mainstream introduction, much like the earlier industrial revolution, almost
every aspect of daily life will be influenced in some way – this time on an
even grander scale.
The
subsequent rise of Robotics will indisputably go down as a key milestone in
human history. It will be known as the era where truly disruptive technology
transformed our world before our very eyes, an era where science fiction became
science fact.
...a strong intro to the new Era, imaginative and very engaging!
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